with clouds and doubteth of its interest in Christ it would then put it out of doubt by fleeing to Him for refuge from the storme of God's indignation and lay hold on Him as He is offered in the gospel and thus renew its grips of Him as the offered alsufficient Mediator and frequent direct acts of faith will helpe at length to a reflex act The soul that is daylie running to Christ according to the covenant with all its necessities and laying hold on Him as only able to helpe will at length come to see that it hath beleeved on Him and is made welcome by Him and accepted through Him So that rëterated acts of faith on an offered Cautioner and Salvation will dispel at length those clouds of darknesse that trouble the soul. 7. Such souls would beware of making their bands stronger and their darkness greater by their â—…olly and unwise carriage for this cause they would beware 1. To cry out in despondency of Spirit as if there were no hope and to conclude peremptorily that they are cut off and it is in vaine to waite any longer for this course will but darken them more and multiply the clouds over their head 2. To run away from Christ through unbeleef and dispaire for that will make their case yet worse 3. To walk untenderly and not circumspectly for the moe sins appear the lesse light will be had O but souls would be tender in all their conversation at that time and guaird against the least sin or appearance of evill 4. To fret and repine against God because of that dispensation for that will but entangle the soul more and wreath the yock straiter about its neck and put it self furder out of case to be relieved and to receive light 8. Lastly such would do well not to limite the holy one of Israel but to waite with patience till his time come to speak-in light to the soul knowing that such as waite upon Him shall never be ashamed Esai 49 23. because He waiteth to be gracious and therefore blessed are they all that waite upon him Esai 30 18. Quest. But what if for all this I get no outgate but my distress and darkness rather grow upon my hand Ans. That such a thing may be I grant the Lord thinking it fit 1. To exercise their faith dependence patience hope and desire more 2. And to discover more unto them their own weakness faintings faithlesness 3. To shew his absolute power and soveraignity 4. To make his grace and mercy more conspicuous remarkeable at length and. 5. To traine them up in away of dependence on him in the dark and of leaning to him when walking in darknesse yea and in a way of beleeving when they think they have no faith at all and for other holy ends Yet the soul would not despond for there are several things that may serve to support and beare up the heart even in that case as 1. This is not their case alone Others have been in the like before and many have had the like complaints in all ages as is known to such as have been acquanted with exercised souls 2. It may yeeld peace and comfort to know that they are about duty when looking to Him and depending upon Him and waiting for his light 3. The promises made to such as waite for Him may support the soul and yeeld comfort 4. The distinct knowledge and uptaking of their condition though it be comfortable and refreshing yet itis not absolutely necessary A soul may be a saved soul though those clouds should continue to its dying day and though as long as they lived they should never get a clear discovery of their gracious state but spend their dayes in mourning complaineing and crying out of darknesse c. 5. Such a soul should think that its much that he is keeped out of hell so long and sure the thoughts of what he is and of what he doserveth may make him sober and not to think much though he reach not so high as to see his name written in the book of life 6. They would know that full assurance of hope and of faith is but rare and even such as have it do nor ordinarily keep it long So that it should not much trouble them if after all their paines they cannot win at it 7. If they win to any real ground of hope how small so ever they should think much of that for many dear to Christ live long and never know what so much is 8. It is no small matter that they are not sincking in the gulfe of inconsideration and plagued with an indifferency in these matters but are made to value Christ and an interest in Him at such a rate 9. Their going to Christ with all their wants laying all on Him and their making that their daylie exercise may keep up their hearts from fainting yea and fill their souls with joy for that is really the exercise of faith And the great and gracious promises are made to such as beleeve and not to such only as know they do beleeve I grant such as know not that they do beleeve cannot draw comfort from these promises yet it is as true that one may by reflecting on the actings of his own soul see and know that really he is going out to Christ forsaking himself casting his burden on Him waiting and depending upon Him when yet he will not say that he doth beleeve and when he seeth this working of soul toward Christ he is obliged to beleeve that he beleeveth and thereupon rejoyce in the hope of the great promises And however the very sight and knowledge of this acting and motion of soul may give them some comfort though they shall not take it for faith because it is the way of duty and it is the thing which the gospel calleth for and because they cannot show an instance of any one soul that did so and perished But the truth is the right understanding of the nature of faith would cleare many doubts and prevent many questions I come to speak a little to the last case which I shall handle which is CHAP. XVIII How we shall make use of Christ as the Truth that we may win to right and suteable thoughts of God This is a case that much troubleth the people of God They cannot get right and sutable thoughts of God which they earnestly desire to have nor know not how to win at them And certane it is He only who is the Truth and came out of the bosome of the Father can helpe here Therefore for our use making of Him for this end It would be remembered 1. That the minde of man through the fall is nothing but a masse of ignorance and blindenesse that the understanding is darkned Ephes. 4 17 18. And naturally we are in darknesse 1 Iohn 2 9 11. Yea under the power of darknesse Col. 1 13. And which is more our mindes naturally are filled with prejudice
master usher to the poor soul to lead him in to the Father so that by him we have accesse Ephes. 2 18. yea boldnesse and accesse through faith in Him Ephes. 3 12. and He is our advocate 1. Iohn 2 1. and as our atturnay is gone to heaven before us and there liveth for ever to make intercession Heb. 6 20 7 25. And what is there more to be done to procure us accesse or to move encourage us to come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4 14 16. 6. As to that want of freedome and liberty in prayer He helpeth that also for He maketh the dumb to sing Esa. 35 6. and maketh the tongue of the stammerers to be ready to speak elegantly Esai 32 4. He can enlairge the heart and help the soul to pour-out its heart before God 7. As to outward persecution He can easily take that discouragement away by giving the hundereth fold with it by supporting under it and bringing saife thorow it when his presence is with them through fire and water Esa. 43 2. what can trouble them and when he maketh their consolations abound 2 Cor. 1 5. what can discourage them Have not his sung in the very fires and rejoyced in all their afflictions The resting of the Spirit of God and of glory which Peter speaketh of 1 Pet. 4 14. is comfortable enough 8. As for all those sharpe dispensations mentioned in the last place He having taken the sting of all even of death away by taking away sin and purchased the blessing and love of the Father having made reconciliation through his blood all those dispensations flow from love even such as seem sharpest being inflicted for sin as we see Heb. 12 6. So that there is no cause here of fainting or of being so discouraged as to give over the matter But for helpe in this case there should be an use making of Jesus as the Life and that is The third thing which we shall speak a little to viz How the soul should make use of Christ as the Life to the end it may be delivered from this fainting occasioned through manifold discouragements 1. The beleever in this case would minde the covenant of Redemption wherein Christ hath promised and so standeth obliged and engaged to carry on his own through all discouragements to the end so that if any one beleever miscarry Christ loseth more than they can lose for the beleever can but lose his soul but Christ shall lose his glory and this is more worth than all the souls that ever were created And further not only shall Christ lose his glory as Redeemer But the Father shall also lose his glory in not making good his promise to Christ his Son for by the same covenant He standeth engaged to carry thorow all the seed that Christ hath died for And his appointing Christ to be his servant for this end and chooseing Him from among all the folk and his upholding of Him concurring with him delighting in Him and promiseing that He shall bring forth judgment to the gentiles and that to victory or to truth speak out His engadgment to see all true beleevers brought home See Esai 42 1 2 3 4. Mat. 12 17 18 19 20 21. Psal. 89 19 20 21 28 29 35 36 37. Sâ—…re the faith of this would support the poor beleever under all those discouragements 2. They would minde likewise the covenant of Grace wherein all things are contrived and laid downe so as that the beleever may have abundant consolation and comfort in all cases and wherein there is enough to take away all cause of fainting discouragement as might fully be made to appeare if any did questione it 3. They would remember how richly Christ is furnished with all qualifications suiteing even that case wherein they are like to be overwhelmed with discouragements and could the beleever but think upon and beleeve those three things he might be keeped-up under all discouragements first That Christ is a compassionate tender-hearted mediator having bowels more tender than the bowels of any mother so that He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax Esai 42 3. He had compassion on the very bodies of the multitude that followed him and would not let them go away fasting lest they should fainte in the way Mat. 15 32. Mark 8 3. and will He not have compassion on the soules of his followers when like to faint through spiritual discouragements Secondly That He hath power and authority to command all things that can serve to carray-on a poor beleever for all power in Heaven and Earth is given to Him all things are made subject to Him Thirdly That He hath a great readinesse and willingnesse upon many accounts to helpe his followers in their necessities Sure were these three firmly believed the beleever could not â—…aint having Christ who is tender and loving willing to helpe and withall able to do what he will to look to and to run to for supply 4. They would take up Christ under all his heart-strengthening and soul comforting relations as a tender Brother a careful Shepherd a fellow-feeling Highpriest a loving Husband a sympathizing Head a life-communicating Root an alsufficient King c. any one of which is enough to beare up the head and comfort the heart of a drouping discouraged and fainting soul much more may all of them yeeld strong consolation to support revive a soul staggering and fainting through discouragement Oh! if wee could but rightly improve and dwell upon the thoughts of these comforting and heart-quickening relations our hearts would not fail us so much as they do 5. They would eye Him as now in glory who as Head and Captaine of salvation hath wreastled through and overcome all difficulties and discouragments that were in his way and in name and behalf of all beleevers that are his followers and members of his body is now possessed of glory and thence draw an heart-comforting and soul-strengthening conclusion thus Is He entered into glory as Head than such a poor faint hearted heart-brocken discouraged worme as I am may at length come there as a little bit of his body especially since He said that seing He liveth all his shall live also Ioh. 14 19. 6. They would remember how Christ who was alwayes heard of his Father Iohn 11 41 42. did supplicat for this as Mediator and Intercessor for his people Iohn 17 24. saying Father I will thâ—… they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am c. May not the poor faint-hearted believer that is looking to Iesus draw an heart-reviveing soul encouraging conclusion out of this say Though my prayers be shote out and when I cry for reliefe under my discouragements I get no hearing but on the contrary my discouragements grow and my heart fainteth the more yet Christ alwayes was heard and
which He purposed in himself 7. Beside Christ's Death and Resurrection which give ground of hope of pardon of dayly out-breakings there is likewise his Intercession usefull for this end for sayeth the Apostle Iohn 1 Epist. 2 1. 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins This intercession of his 〈◊〉 a special part of his Priesthood who was the great Highpriest Heb. 4 14 16. and a compleating Part Heb. 8 4 9 8. and upon this account 〈◊〉 that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through Him because He liveth for ever to make intercession for them Heb. 7 25. for by his intercession is the work of redemption carryed on the Purchased benefites applyed and particularly new grants of remission are through his intercession issued forth He pleading and interceeding in a way suteable to his glorified condition upon his death and propitiation made while he was upon the crosse accepted of the Father and declared to be accepted by his resurrection asoâ—…sion and sitting at the Fathers right hand And thus as beleevers are reconciled to God by Christs death they are saved by his life Rom. 5 10. So that Christ's living for to be an intercessour makes the beleevers salvation sure and so layeth down a ground for taking away of dayly outbreakings which if not taken away would hinder and obstruct the beleevers salvation 8. And as for the condition requisite to renewed pardon viz faith and Repentance Christ is the worker of both for He is a Prince exalted to give Repentance first and last Act. 4 30. and as He is the author of faith so He is the finisher of it Heb. 12 2. As to the second particular namely what beleevers should do for getting the guilt of their dayly failings and outbreakings taken away by Christ or how they should make use of Christ for this end I shall for clearing of it propose those things to consideration 1. We would beware to think that all our after actuall transgressions are actually pardoned either when Christ dyed or when we first beleeved in Christ as some suppose for sin cannot properly be said to be pardoned before it be committed David was put to sue out for pardon after his actuall transgression was committed and not for the mere sense and feeling of the pardon or the intimation of it to his Spirit when he cryed out Psal 51 2 blot out my transgressions wash me c. vers 9 hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities and vers 14. deliver me from blood guiltinesse Sure when he spoke thus he sought some other thing than intimation of pardon to his sense and conscience for that he desired also but in far more clear expressions vers 8. make me to hear joy and gladnesse c. and vers 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation c. Scripture phrases to expresse remission import this viz Covering of sin Pardoning of debts Blotting out of sins Hideing of God's face from sins not Remembering of them Casting of them behinde his back Casting of them into the sea Removing of sins Psal. 103 12. a lifting off of sin or Taking it away a Non-imputation of sin Psal. 33 1 2. These and the like phrases though many of them be metaphoricall yet do all of them clearly evince that sin must first have a being before it can be pardoned The same is clearly imported by the gospel conditions requisite before Pardon such as acknowledgment of sin 1 Ioh. 1 9. which we see was practised by the worthies of old David Psal. 32. 51. Nehemiah Cap. 9. Ezra Cap 9 Daniel Chap. 9. Confessing and Forsaking of it Prov. 28 13. Sorrowing for it Repenting of it and laying hold on Christ by faith c. The reason why I propose this is not only to guaird against this antinomian error but also to guaird the soul from security to which this doctrine hath a naturall tendency for if a person once think that all his sins were pardoned upon his first beleeving so that many of them were pardoned before they were committed he shall never be affected for his after transgressions nor complean of a body of death nor account himself miserable upon that account as Paul did Rom. 7 24. nor shall he ever pray for remission though Christ hath taught all to do so in that patern of prayer nor shall he act faith upon the promises of pardon made in the covenant of grace for after transgressions or for transgressions actually committed Ier. 31 34. 3â—… 8. Heb. 8 12. and so there shall be no use made of Christ for new pardons or remissions of new sins 2. The beleever would remember that among other things antecedently requisite to remission of posterior actuall transgressions gospel Repentence is especially required Luk. 13 3. Mat. 3 2. Ezeck 18 28 30 32. Luk. 15 17 18 Hoâ—… 2 6 7. Ezech. 14 6. whereby a Sinner through the helpe of the Spirit being convinced not only of his hazard by reason of sin but also of the filthinesse and hatefulnesse of sin and having a sight of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to sinners turning from their sin doth turne from those sins unto God with a full purpose of heart in his strength to follow Him and obey his lawes and hereby the soul is brought to loath its self and sin and is made willing to desire seek for accept of and prize remission of sins This makes them more warry in time coming and carefull for behold sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 7 11. This self same thing that yee sorowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of yourselves what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what Zeal yea what revenge c. Thus is God glorified in his justice Psal. 51 4. and his mercy is acknowledged in not entering with us into judgement nor casting us into hell as He might have done in justice 3. Yet it would be remembered that though it hath seemed good in the Lord's eyes to chuse this method and appoint this way of obtaining pardon of sins dayly committed for the glory of his grace and mercy and likewise for our good we must not ascribe too much unto Repentance in the matter of pardon we must not make it a cause of our remission either efficient or meritorious we must not think that it hath any hand in appeaseing the wrath of God or in satisfying of justice pardon must alwayes be an act of God's free grace unmerited at our hands procured alone through the merites of Christ we must not put repentance in Christ's room and place nor ascribe any imperfection unto his merites as if they needed any supply from any act of ours we must beware of leaning to our Repentance and godly Sorrow even so far as to think to
that therefore there is no pardon had or that this is not the way to pardon for as we shall shew afterward pardon is one thing and intimation of pardon is another thing we may be pardoned and yet suppose that we are not pardoned challenges will abide till the conscience be sprinkled and till the Prince of peace command peace to the conscience and put the accuser to silence who when he can do no more will marre the peace of a beleever as long as he can and stoppe the current of his comforts which made David pray that God would restore to him the joy of his salvation Psal. 51. 4. Nor would we think that upon our taking of this course for the pardon of our sins we shall never thereafter meet with a challenge upon the account of these sins It is true when sins are pardoned they are fully pardoned in God's court and that obligation to condemnation is taken away and the pardoned person is looked upon as no sinner that is as no person liable to condemnation because of these sins for being pardoned he becometh just before God yet we darre not say but conscience afterward being alarmed with new transgressions may mistake as people suddenly put into a fright are ready to do nor dar we say that God will not permit Satan to upbraid us with those sins which have been blotted out long ago as he suffered Shimâ—…i who was but an instrument of Satan to cast up to David his blood guiltinesse which had been pardoned long before The Lord may think good to suffer this that his people may be keeped humble and made more tender and watchfull in all their wayes 5. Beleevers would not mis improve or abuse this great condescendency of free grace take the greater liberty to sin because there is such a sure saifâ—… and pleasant way of getting those sins blotted out and forgiven Shall we sin because we are not under grace but under the law That be far from us sayeth 〈◊〉 Apostle Rom. 6 15. This were indeed to turne the grace of God into lasciviousnesse And it may be a question if such as have really repented gotten their sins pardoned will be so ready to make this use of it sure sense of pardon will work some other effect as we see Ezech. 16 62 63. 6. The beleever in going about this work of nailing his sins to the crosse of Christ and of improving Christ's Death Resurrection and constant intercession for the obtaining of pardon would not think of going alone or of doing this in his own strength for of himself he can do nothing He must look to Christ for grace to help in this time of need and must got about this duty with dependence on Him waiting for the influences of Light Counsell Strength and Grace from Him to repent and beleeve for He is a Prince exalted to give repentance first and last and He is the author and finisher of faith so that without Him we can do nothing 7. Let the beleever beware of concluding that he hath got no pardon because he hath met with no sensible intimation thereof by the flowing in of peace and joy in his soul. Pardon is one mercy and intimation of it to the soul is another distinct mercy and separable from it shall we therefore say we have not gotten the first because we have not gotten both The Lord for wise reasons can pardon poor sinners and not give any intimation thereof to wit that they may watch more against sin afterward and not be so bold as they have been and that they may finde more in experience what â—… bitter thing it is to sin against God and learne withall to depend on Him for lesse and more and to carry more humbly for it may be God seeth that if they saw their sins pardoned they would forget themselves and rush into new sins againe 8. The beleever must not think it strange if he finde more trouble after greater sins and a greater difficulty to lay hold on Christ for pardon of those then for pardon of others for as God hath been more dishonoured by these so is his anger more kindled upon that account and it is sureable for the glory of God's justice that our sorrow for such hainous sins be proportionably greater and this will likewise increase the difficulty and ordinarly the effects of God's fatherly displeasure make deeper wounds in the soul after such sins and these are not so easily healed all which will call for 〈◊〉 and proportionably greater godly sorrow and repentance and acts of faith because faith will meet with more opposition and discouragment there and therefore must be the more strong to go thorow these impediments and to lay hold on his crosse Yet though this should make all watchfull and to guaird against grosse and crying sins it should not drive any to dispaire nor to say with that dispairing wretch their sin is greater than it can be forgiven the ocean of mercy can drown and swallow up great as well as lesser sinnes Christ is an alsufficient Mediator for the greatest sins as well as for the least O for thy names sake pardon mine iniquitie for it is great will come in season to a soul ready to sink with the weight of this milstone â—…ied about its neck 9. as the greater sins should not make us dispaire of taking this course for remission so nor should the smalnâ—…sse of sin make us to neglect this way for the least sin cannot be pardoned but through Jesus Christ for the law of God is violated thereby justice provoked Gods authority vilipended c. and therefore cannot be now pardoned by reason of the threatnings annexed to the transgression of the law without a ransome death is the wages of all sin lesser and greater and the curse is due to all sinners greater and smaller Therefore the beleever would not suffer one sin seen and discovered to lie unpardoned but on the first discovery thereof take it away to Christ and nail it to his crosse 10. The beleever would not conclude that his sins are not pardoned because possibly temporal strokes inflicted because of them are not removed for though Davids sin was pardoned yet because of that sin of his a temporall stroke attended him and his family to his dying day for not only did God cut off the childe 2 Sam. 15 14. but told him that the sword should never depairt from his house and that He would raise up evil against him â—…ut of his own house and give his wives to one that should lie with them in the sight of the sun vers 10 11. So we read that the Lord took vengeance on their inventions whose sins he had pardoned Psal. 99 8. God may see this fit and expedient for his own glory and for humbling of them and causing them feare the more to sin against him Yea not only may temporal calamities be inflicted because of sin pardoned or continued after sin
parlying too much and too readyly with Satan Eva's practice might be a warning sufficient to us 5. Not living in the sight of their wants and of their dayly necessity of Christ nor acting faith upon Him dayly for the supplying of their wants and when faith is not used it may contract rust and be weakned and come at length not to be discerâ—…ed 6. Intertaining of jealous thoughts of God and harkening too readyly to any thing that foster and increase or confirme these 7. Not delighting themselves in and with pleasure dwelling on the thoughts of Christ of his offices of the gospel and promises so that these come at length to lose their beauty and glory in the soul and have not the lustre that once they had and this doth open a door to much mischiefe 8. In a word not walking with God according to the gospel provoketh the Lord to give them up to themselves for a time We come now to the Third particular which is to show How Chist is life to the poor soul in this case And for the clearing of this consider 1. That Christ is the author and finisher of faith Heb 12 2. and so as He did rebuke unbeleef at the first he can rebuke it againe 2. That He is the great Prophet clearing up the gospel and every thing that is necessary for us to know bringing life and immortality to light by the gospel 2 Tim. 1 11. and so manifesting the lustre and beauty of the gospel 3. He bringeth the promises home to the soul in their reality excellency and truth being the faithful witness and the Amen Revel 3 14. and the confirmer of the promises so that they are all yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1 20. And this serveth to establish the soul in the faith and to shoot-out thoughts of unbeleefe 4. So doth He by his Spirit dispel the mists clouds which Satan through unbeleef had raised in the soul. 5. And thereby also rebuketh those mistakes of God and prejudices at Him and his wayes which Satan hath wrought there through corruption 6. He discovereth himself to be a ready help in time of trouble the hope and anchor of salvation Heb. 6 19 and a Priest living for ever to make intercession for poor sinners Heb. 7 25. 7. And hereby he cleareth up to the poor soul a possibility of helpe and reliefe and thus rebuketh dispaire or preventeth it 8. He manifesteth himself to be the maâ—…ow and substance of the gospel and this maketh every line thereof pleasant and beautiful to the soul and so freeth them from the prejudices that they had at it 2. So in manifesting himself in the gospel he revealeth the Father that the soul cometh to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4 6. and this saveth the soul from atheisme 10. When the soul cannot grippe Him nor look to Him yet He can look to the soul and by his look quicken and revive the soul and warme the heart with love to Him and at length move and incline it sweetly to open to Him And thus grippe and hold fast a lost sheep yea and bring it home againe But what should a soul do in such a case To this which is the Fourth particular to be spoken to I answere 1. They would strive against those evils formerly mentioned which procured or occasioned this distemper a stop should be put to these malignant humors 2. They would be careful to lay againe the foundation of solide knowledge of God and of his glorious truthes revealed in the gospel and labour for the faith of God's truth and veracity for till this be nothing can be right in the soul. 3. They would be throughly convinced of the treacherie deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of their hearts that they may see it is not worthie to be trusted and that they may be jealous of it and not hearken so readyly to it as they have done especially seing Satan can prompt it to speak for his advantage 4. They would remember also that it is divine helpe that can recover them and cause them grippe to the promises and lay hold on them of new againe as well as at the first and that of themselves they can do nothing 5. In useing of the meanes for the recovery of life they would eye Christ and because this eyeing of Christ is faith and their disease lyeth most there they would do as the Israelits did who were stung in the eye with the serpents they looked to the brazen serpent with the wounded and stung eye so would they do with a sickly and almost dead faith grip Him and with an eye almost put out and made blinde look to Him knowing how ready He is to help and what a tender heart He hath 6. And to confirme them in this resolution they would take a new vieu of all the notable encouragements to beleeve wherewith the whole gospel aboundeth 7. And withal fix on Him as the only author and finisher of faith 8. And in a word They would cast a wonderderfully unbeleeving and atheistical soul on Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working and is wonderful in mercy and grace and in all his wayes And thus may He at length in his own time and in the way that will most glorify Himself raise up that poor soul out of the grave of infidelity wherein it was stincking and so provâ—… Himself to be indeed the resurrection and the life to the praise of the glory of his grace We come now to speak to another case which is CHAP. XXV How Christ is to be made use of as the life by one that is so dead and senselesse as he cannot know what to judge of himself or his own case except that it is naught WE spoke something to this very case upon the matter when we spoke of Christ as the Truth Yet we shall speak alittle to it here but shall not enlarge particulars formerly mentioned and therefore we shall speak alittle to those five particulars and so 1. Shew what this distemper is 2. Shew whence it proceedeth and how the soul cometh to fall into it 3. Shew how Christ as the life bringeth about a recovery out of it 4. Shew how the soul is to be exercised that it may obtaine a recovery and 5. Answere some Questions or Objections As to the first Beleevers many times may be so dead as not only not to see and know that they have an interest in Christ and to be uncertaine what to judge of themselvs but also be so carried away with prejudices and mistakes as that they will judge no otherwayes of themselves than that their case is naught yea and not only will'deny or mis-call the good that God hath wrought in them by his Spirit but also reason themselves to be out of the state of grace and a stranger to faith and to the workings of the Spirit and hereupon will come to call
To teach them to walk more circumspectly afterward and to guaird more watchfully against Satans temptations and to imploy Christ more as their Strength Light and Guide 5. To cause them see their great obligation to Jesus Christ for delivering them from that state of wrath wherein they were by nature as well as others and would have lyen-in to all eternity had not He redeemed them 6. To exercise their Faith Patience and Hope to see if in hope they will beleeve against hope and lay hold on the strength of the Lord that they may make peace with him Esai 27 5. 7. To give a fresh proof of his wonderful Mercy Grace Love and Compassion upholding the soul in the meane time at length pardoning them and speaking peace to their souls through the blood of Jesus But as to the third particular We may look on Christ as the Life to the soul in this case upon those accounts 1. He hath satisfied justice and so hath borne the pure wrath of God due for their sinnes He hath troden the winepresse alone Esai 63 3. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sins Esai 53 5 10. And therefore they drink not of this cup which would make them drunk and to stagger and fall and never rise againe 2. Yea He hath procured that mercy and love shall accompany all those sharpe dispensations and that they shall flow from mercy yea and that they shall be as a covenanted blessing promised in he covenant Psal. 89 30 31 32 33. 3. And sometimes He is pleased to let them see this clear difference betwixt the strokes they lye under and the judgments of pure wrath which attend the wicked and this supporteth the soul for then he seeth that those dispensations how sharpe so ever they be shall work together for good to him and come from the hand of a gracious and loving Father reconciled in the blood of Christ. 4. He is a Prince exalted to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel Act. 5 31. Yea He hath procured such a clause in the covenant which is wel ordered in all things and sure that upon their renewing of faith and repentance their after sin shall be pardoned and besides the promises of faith and repentance in the covenant His being â—… Prince exalted to give both giveth assurance oâ—… their receiving of both 5. He cleareth to them their interest in the Covenant and their right to the promises of the Covenant and through their closeing with Christ bâ—… faith He raiseth up their heart in hope causeâ—… them to exspect an outgate even remission of theâ—… sins and turning a way of the displeasure in due timâ—… through Him and this is a great part of their life 6. Being the author and finisher of faith 〈◊〉 â—… Prince to give repentance He by His Spirit worketh up the soul to a renewing of its grips oâ—… Himself by faith and to a â—…uning to the death and blood of Christ for pardon and washing and worketh godly sorrow in the heart whereupon followeth Pardon according to the gospel constitution though the beleever as yet perceiveth it not And sin being pardoned before God conforme to the tenor of the covenant of grace the man is a living man whatever feares of death he may be keeped under for a time 7. He helpeth also the soul to a justifying of God and to a holy submissive frame of Spirit under that dispensation so that they are willing to beare the indignation of the Lord because they have sinned against Him Micah 7 9. and to waite for an outgate in God's own time and to kisse the rod and accept of the punishment of their sin 8. When He seeth it fit for his own glory and their advantage He speaketh peace at length to the soul and sayeth Son or daughter be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven thee And then is the soul restored to life As to the fourth particular The soul that is wreastling with an angry God for sin and would make use of Christ as the life would do those things 1. He would look to Christ as standing under God's curse in our room and as satisfying justice for all the elect and for all their sinnes 2. He would eye the covenant wherein new pardon is promised upon the renewing of faith and repentance 3. He would eye Christ as the great Lord dispensator of both Faith and Repentance and hing on Him for both and thus beleeve that he may beleeve and repent or lay his soul open to Him that He may work in him both Repentance and Faith 4. He would flee to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the blood of Abel that he may be washen and sprinkled with hysope as David did Psal. 51 7. 5. He would eye Christ as a prince to pardon and give remission of sins and as exalted for this end and would fix his eye upon Him as now exalted in glory for this end 6. He would close with Christ of new as his only alsufficient mediator and having done this and repented of his sins whereby God hath been provoked he would conclude through faith that a pardon is past in the court of heaven conforme to the tenor of the gospel and waite on Christ until the intimation come As for the cautions which I promised to speak to in the last place take those few 1. Do not conclude there is no pardon because there is no intimation thereof made to thy soul as yet According to the dispensation of grace condescended upon in the gospel pardon is had immediatly upon a souls beleeving and repenting But the intimation sense and feeling of pardon is a distinct thing and may for several ends be long â—…eeped-up from the soul Sure they go not alwayes together 2. Do not conclude there is no pardon because the rode that was inflicted for sin is not as yet taken off God pardoned Davids sin and did intimate the same to Him by Nathan and yet the sword did not depart from his house till he died God can forgive and yet take vengeance on their in venâ—…ions Psal. 99 8. 3. Do not upon this ground question God's Faithfulnesse or conclude that God's covenant doth not stand fast He is the same and the covenant abideth fast and firme but the change is in thee 4. Do not think that because thou hast once received Christ that therefore without any new act of faith on Him or of repentance towards God thou should immediatly be pardoned of thy sinnes as soon as they are committed for the gospel methode must be followed and it should satisfie us CHAP. XXVIII No man cometh to the Father but by me THis being added for furder confirmation of what was formerly said will pointe out unto us several necessary truthes as First That it is most necessary to be sound and cleare in this fundamental point of coming to God only in and through Christ for 1. It is the whole